Lock-seam for metal articles.



7 No. 663,385. Patented Dec. 4,1900.

G. P. HOBBS.

LOCK SEAM FOR. METAL ARTIIELES.

(No Model.)

Dams PETERS cu, PumuuTum msumsrm u c lUNlTED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE P. HOBBS, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THEH. HALLER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LIMITED, OF SAME PLACE.

LOCK-SEAN] FOR METAL ARTICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,385, dated December4, 1900.

Application fil d March 8, 1900. Serial No. 7,888. (No model.)

To all lull/07m it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. HOBBS, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State ofLouisiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lock-Seams forMetal Articles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in lock-seams for sheet-metalpipes, cans, and

plates and other flat work; and it consists in the peculiar andadvantageous lock-seam hereinafter described, and particularly pointedout in the claims appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of asheet-metal Stovepipe provided with my improved seam. Fig. 2 is atransverse section taken in the plane indicated by the broken line 2 2of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken in the plane indicatedby the broken line 3 3 of Fig.1. Fig. 4 comprises disconnectedperspective views of the edges of the members comprised in my improvedseam. Fig. 5 is a detail elevationof a modification in which the flutedor corrugated edges are covered and hidden from view. Figs. 6 and 7 aredetail sections taken in the planes indicated by the broken lines 6 6and 7 7, respectively, of

Fig. 5.

Referring by letter to the said drawings, and more particularly to Figs.1 to 4 thereof, A is a sheet-metal stovepipe which is provided with alongitudinal outturned edge a and a longitudinal inturned edge (7. Theseedges 0t 1) are of the proportional width illustrated and provided,preferably throughout the length of the pipe, with transversely-disposedor crosswise corrugations c d, respectively. The main portion of thestovepipe 4o opposite the outturned edge a is also provided withtransverselydisposed corrugations 6, corresponding in length to thecorrugations c (I, while the main portion of the pipe opposite theinturned edge I) is provided with corrugations f, also corresponding inlength to the corrugations c (Z. By virtue of this construction it willbe readily observed that when the edges b a are interlockedthat is, edge6 is interposed between edge a and the opposite main portion of the pipeand said edge a is interposed between the edge 6 and the opposite mainportion of the pipethe corrugations of the edges a b and thecorrugations of the main portion of the pipe will conform and theprojections of the contiguous corrugated layers of metal will be nestedin the. depressions of each other, with the result that such contiguouslayers, including the outturned edge a and the inturned edge I), will besecurely held against longitudinal or endwise movement with respect toeach other. It will also be observed that when the interlockedcorrugated portions of the pipe are pressed together or the joint. isclosed, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, they will be held against lateral aswell as longitudinal movement or shifting with reference to each otherand will form a perfectly tight lock-seam.

While designed more particularly for use in a stovepipe, my improvedlock-seam may obviously be used to advantage in cans, either of circularor angular form in cross-section, and in connecting the sheet-metalsections of fiat Work, as Well as in other connections, which it isunnecessary to specify. The said seam is "ery cheap and easy to make,and while it requires no more metal than an ordinary seam and does notentail the employment of rivets or the like it is calculated tomaterially stiffen that portion of the pipe or other article adjacent toit. It is also advantageous, because it looks the edges of the sheetforminga pipe or other article throughout the length thereof, and hencepermits of the pipe or other article being cut into a plurality ofsections without impairing the efficiency of the seam of any section.

In Figs. 5, 6, and 7 of the drawings I have illustrated a modificationin which only the 6 outturned edge I) and inturned edge a of a pipe Aare provided with transverse corrugations cl 0. By virtue of thiscoustruction when the outturned and inturned edges are interlocked andare pressed together the projections of the one will enter thedepressions of the other, with the result that they will be securelyheld against both longitudinal and lateral movementwith respect to eachother and form a lock-seam almost if not quite as strong as thatdisclosed in Figs. 1 to 4 and before described. At the same time it willbe observed that the portions of the sheet of metal opposite thecorrugated or fluted edges a b will cover and hide the same from viewand will present a smooth surface both at the inside and outside of thepipe or other article.

The modification shown in Figs. 5 to 7 is susceptible of being used inas many connections as the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 andpossesses all of the advantages of the latter.

I have entered into a specific description of the construction andrelative arrangement of the parts embraced in the present embodiment ofmy invention in order to impart a full, clear, and exact understandingof the same. I do not desire, however, to be understood as confiningmyself to such specific construction and arrangement of parts, as suchchanges or modifications may be made in practice as fairly fall withinthe scope of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, ]S-

1. In a lock-seam, the combination of a member having an outturned edgeprovided with corrugations extending in the direction of and throughoutits width, and a member having an inturned edge also provided withcorrugations extending in the direction of and throughout its width; thesaid edges of the members being interlocked and pressed against eachother whereby the projections of the one are secured in the depressionsof the other, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a lock-seam, the combination of a member having an outturned edgeprovided with crosswise corrugations extending throughout the widththereof and also having a smooth main portion opposite said edge, and amember having an inturned edge provided with crosswise corrugations,extending throughout the width thereof and also having a smooth mainportion opposite said inturned edge; the said edges of the members beinginterlocked and pressed against each other between the smooth mainportions of the members, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

GEORGE P. HOBBS. VVitnesse's:

JoHN A.HELUF, FRANK ZENGEL.

